Electric lamp



(No Model.) W S HILL.

ELECTRIC LAMP. No. 248,465. Patented Oct-.'18, 1881.

Unirse STATES PATENT Ormes.

WARREN S. HILL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC LAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,465, dated October 18, 1881. Application filed April 15, 1881. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VARREN S. HILL, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lamps, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in electric lamps, and has special reference to a lamp in which two sets of carbons are employed, arranged so that when one set Vof carbons have been consumed the remaining set shall be automatically or without manual intervention brought into, use, thus admitting ofa continuous light being maintained for a longer time than it could be by the use of only one setlof carbons.

It is my objectin alamp of this kind to provide a simple and effective mechanism whereby, while lone set of carbons are beingfconsumed the other set shall be kept out of the electric circuit, and be otherwise entirely inoperative until suohjtime as the first set are burned as low as is desired, at which time the circuit between the burning carbons shall be broken, the second set of carbons are brought together, the electricarc formed at th eir points, and the light instantaneously transferred to the new set of carhons. This result I accomplish by means of atilting bar or lever pivoted at a point between the feed-rods, and arranged so that it is held at one of its extreme points of motion by the action of a spring, and when forced to the other eXtreme of its motion is caught and held by a catch or scar. While the bar is in the latter position the points of the first set of carbons are together, and their respective feed-rod is in operative connection with a regulating apparatus,while the upper carbon of the second set is held suspended above and out ot' Contact with its co-operatingcarbon. Thus the circuit is completed, andthe electric arc formed at the point-s of the rst set only. Feed-rod No. l is provided with a collar, placed at such a point that when the carbons are burned nearly to their sockets the collar will strike a lirojecting arm of the scar, causing it to release its hold of the tilting bar, when the action of the spring causes it to resume its normal position, and by means of a piu bearing against the under side of the collar to raise the feed-rod and upper carbon of set No. l, separating their points and breaking the electric circuit. At the same time it releases feed-rod No.2 and allows its suspended carbon to fall and meet with its co-operating carbon, thus completingthe circuitthrough the new set of carbons, and the light is established at the meeting-points of set No. 2 simultaneously with its extinction at the points of set No. l, and a continuous light is maintained without perceptible break or interruption.

My improvement may be successfully employed in combination with different styles of regulating mechanism. I therefore do not limit myself to its use in connection with any particular style of regulating apparatus.

The accompanying drawings are an illustration of my invention as applied to the regulating mechanism employed in the lamp invented by Edward Vleston.

Figure 1 shows the lamp in elevation, with the electro-magnets removed. Fig. 2 is a scctiou on linewwin Fig.1, andis enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line yy in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the locking device, the position of the lever when changed and its relation to the feed-rod and collar being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a section through the center of the lower carbon-holder, Fig. 6 being a perspective of the spring-sleeve within the holder. 1

In Fig. lis shown the frame or body ot' the lamp, consisting ot the plates o and b, united at a suitable distance apart by the side rods, A A.

To the top plate, a., are secured the different parts that go to make up the automatic regulating mechanism that operates and controls the feeding of the upper carbon, while to the lower plate, b, are secured the lower carbonholders, as shown at e e.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the electro-magnets M M are secured to the platecby means of the supportj, and the armature l, with its connecting paris, is secured in like manner by the support 7c, with the regulatin g-sprin g, dashpot, and gripe shown, all of which constitute the main features of the regulating mechanroo ism ofthe ordinary VVeston7 lamp, the operation of which is thus briefly described: The electric current, entering the lamp at one of the binding-posts, passes through the wire on the electro-magnets to the plate; thence down the feed-rod through the upper and lower carbons, to the lower plate, up one of the side rods to the opposite binding post and out, proper insulation being employed to direct its course. In itspassage through the magnets their iron cores are charged with magnetism, which, acting on the armature, draws it up- Ward, lifting the feed-rod and the upper carbon by means of the gripe, which is secured to the armature, grasping the rod, thus separating the carbons and making the light at their points in the manner well understood.

In my improved lamp l provide two feedrod supports, which are shown at g g', andare secured to the plate a, one at either side ot' the armature l. At the top of these supports is a cross-piece with an arm projecting upward, to which is pivoted at 'n the tilting bar m. A spiral spring, s, surrounds its axis and operates to tilt the bar to theposition shown in the dotted lines.

At the lower end of the armature Z are 4two studs, fw w', which engage the ends of the gripe-levers L L. These gripes embrace the feed-rods loosely, so that when they lie in a. horizontal position the rod movesfreely through the opening therein; but when the end of the gripe is raised, placing it at a slight angle, the rod is grasped by the sides of the hole impinging against the rod, and it is raised or held suspended so long as the gripe is held elearof the plate a.

It will be seen that the gripe does not lill the space between the armature and the head of the stud w, but has free play perpendicularly.

To the innerend of gripe L is secured a chain, u', by which it is connected with the short arm of the bar m. sition shown in Fig. 1 the gripe L is raised clear of the plate a, and, being suspended by the short end, will, by its gripe on the feed-rod It, hold it with its carbon suspended at any point desired, as shown; and as the perpendicular play of the gripe on the stud w is greater than the movement of the armature lin its ordinary workin g, the feed-rod h, while in this position, is unaffected by the movement of the armature, and is entirely inoperative. 'While the feed-rod h is thus suspended the gripe L rests on the head of the stud w', and as the armature l is raised by the magnetic attraction of the magnets M M the gripe L is raised, taking up with it the feed-rod h', separating the carbons, and producing the electric are at the points of the carbons c d. rllhus while the parts are in this` position the operation of the feed-rod hf, with its co-operating parts, are in all respects the same as in the ordinary lamp having but a single set of carbons.

It will be seen that the long arm of the bar When the bar m is in the poi m is drawn down against the tension of the spring s, and is held down by the plate r engaging with the hook o of the scar N, (see Fig. 4,) the spring c, under the arm p of the sear, making it self-lookin g as it enters the hook 0. q is a pin projecting from the bar m toward the feed-rod h.

t' is a collar secured to the rod h by a setscrew, and may be placed so that when the carbons c d have burned nearly to their holders it will bear on the arm p of the sear and cause it to release its hold of theplate r, when the tension of the spring s will cause the bar m to change its position to that shown in the dotted lines. As the long arm of the bar mis raised the pin q, bearing against the under side of the collart', raises the rod h', separating the carbons c d', thereby breaking the circuit bctween their points and extinguishing the light.

The rod a, attached to the bar m, as shown in Fig. 3, has an offset projecting under the gripe L, and, as the long end of the har m is raised, lifts the gripe L to the position shown in the dotted lines, where, by reason of the perpendicular play on stud w', it is unatfected by the movement of the armature l, and it, together with the feed-rod It', is rendered inoperative. The tilting ot' the bar m has allowed the gripe L to fall until the regulatingscrew D, resting on the plate a, causes it to release its gripe on the feed-rod h, allowing the latter to fall until its carbon c rests on its cooperating carbon d, thereby completing the electric circuit through the new set of carbons c d simultaneously with the circuit being broken between the points of the consumed carbons c' d; and as the feed-rod h is now brought into action by the operation of the armature l, the light is continued at the meeting-points of thenew set of carbons wit-hout interruption, as would be necessary were only one set employed.

It will be seen that while feed-rod h is in operation the gripe L rests on the head of stud 1v and is put in operative motion by the movement of the armature l, the same as feed-rod h' before the bar m had changed position, and also the same as the feed-rod working in an ordinary' lamp. Thus while either feed-rod, with its respective carbon, is in operation the other feed-rod and its carbon are held, without weight or labor to the regulating mechanism, entirely inoperative.

rEhe pendent rod t is secured to the lon g end Iof bar m and extends through the plate a, terminating in a ring or eye.

Vhen thelamp is in use the mechanism above the plate a is covered with a suitable case, and to putitin operation, a stiel; of carbon is placed in each ofthe upper and lower holders, when, by drawing down the rod t, the long end of the bar m is brought down and locked. The feedrod h is now raised enough to prevent any current passing between the points of carbons c d, and the lamp is ready for operation. Upon receiving the proper current of electricity the IIO ISO

- and the light will be produced/at the points of carbons c d', and willcontinue until they are consumed nearly to their holders when the eol-l lar i will strike the arm p of the sear N, causing it to release its hold of the bar m, whereupon the feed-rod li is thrown out of operation and feed-rod h brought into action, as has been described,both changes occurring at the same instant, thus transferring the light to the new lset of carbons with scarcely a perceptible interruption. v

In case these lamps are employed where it is desired to maintain a light for a continuous period throughout the twenty-four hours of the day, as in mines or tunnels, the exhausted earbonsmay be replaced by new ones at any time after the transfer has taken place, when, by drawing down the rod t and at the same time raising carbon c, the light will be retransferred back to the first set of carbons. In this way the second set may be held as a reserve to use while the first set are being replenished, and a continuous light may be kept up for anindenite time. A workman skilled in the care of electric lamps willhave no difficulty in trimming the lamp while it is in operation.

To facilitate the adjustment of the gripe-levers L L', so that each lever may be made to release its hold of the feed-rod at the same point of elevation of the armature, I haveprovided the adjustment-screws I) D', whereby the releasing-point of the gripe-levers may be adjusted to perfect accuracy, and inasmuch as the adjustment may be effected while the lamp is in operation there is no difficulty in obtaining the required breadth of arc when either set of carbons are in operation.

In Figs. 5 and Gis shown the construction of the carbon-holders. rllhe bottom holders are made detachable, and are held in place by projectinganges, parts of which pass under lugs or ears secured to the plate I), and as any one of many different ways may be employed to hold them in place these parts are not shown in the drawings. The upright column ofthe holder e has a hole through its center of a size to receive a carbon. At its upper end the hole is enlarged to receive the slitted sleeve E. This sleeve is divided at its ends into a number of divisions, as shown, and when placed within the holder e and the nut c is screwed down its beveled inner surface bears against -t-he points e2, closing them together, and a carbon placed within the holder will be grasped and securely held in place, and by grasping the carbon on all its sides but little pressure will be required to hold it securely, and there will be less danger of breaking the carbons than when they are held by a set-screw bearing on one side only. The lower end of the sleeve E may have a part on all its points converging slightly to the center, justenough tovgrasp the carbon loosely, so that it will not slip through of its own weight, and thereby hold the cari bon from falling when the nut c is loosened. rlhe upper holders are provided with a similar device.

I am awareof the use of clectriclamps wherein two sets of carbons are arranged so that when the electric circuit has been madethrough both pairs" the contact between one pair of carbons is broken in advance of the other` producing the light at the points of the pair last separated, both sels ot' carbons being in mechanical operation at the same time, and the separation of the points of the idle pair being but slightly in excess of that of the working pair. Under my invention, however, the idle carbon is held motionless ata considerable distance from its (zo-operating carbon, there being a break or interruption mechanically effected at some point in the mechanism which transmits movement from the armature to said idle carbon, whereby the latter is uninfluenced and unaffected by the armature and receives nomotion therefrom and this result Iaceomplish by combining with the sets of carbons and the regulating armature feed mechanisms, one for each set of carbons, a spring or equivalently-controlled feed-shifter, of which bar m is one convenient form, connected'wi'th each ot' said feed mechanisms in such manner r that when the armature is in operative connection with one feed mechanism it will be out of operative connection with the other, and a detent which operates to hold the feed-shifting device in one of its two positions, and is actuated at the proper time from or by the moving feed-rod of the set ot' carbons operative in that position to release said feed-shifting device, which then automatically shifts to its other position, so as to bring into action the other set of carbons and their feed mechanism, and to throw out of action the first set of carbons, together with their feed mechanism.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric lamp containing two sets of carbons, the combination, with feed mechanisms, one for each set of carbons, of a tilting spring or equivalentlycontrolled feed-shifting bar connected with each of-said feed mechanisms, and a catch or detent which engages the said bar and is operated to release the same at the time and in the manner substantially as speciedthe combination being and acting substantially as hercinbefore set forth.

2. rIhe combination, with the independent carbon-feed mechanisms, of the bar-holding detent operated by or from the moving feed-rod of the set of carbons in action, and the spring or equivalently-controlled tiltingfeed-shitting bar connected with said feed mechanisms, and formed and arranged to engage and lift, when released from control ofthe detent, the feedrodV by which its release was effected, substantiall y as hereinbefore set forth.

3. The combination of the gripe-levers, the carbon feed rods,the vibratory spring or equiv- IOO IIO

aleutly-actuated feed-shifting bar connected with said gripe-levers, and the detent or sear, these elements being combined and having the mode of operation substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In an electric lamp, and in combination with the bar m and the collar t', the sear N, having hook o and arm 79, with spring o, arranged and operating to hohl said bar at one extreme of its motion, or to release the same at a point determined by the position of the collar i on the rod It', substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

5. In an electric lamp, the pin q, connected to the spring-:wtuated harm, and operating, in combination with the collar i, to raise and hold suspended the feed-rod h While lthe feed-rod h is in operative connection with the armature, substantially as shown and for the purpose speced.

6. The combination, with the feed actuating or regulating armature and the ca1bon-feed rods, of' the gripe-levers, and the adjustingscrews carried by the saine, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purposes hereinbef'ore Set forth.

7. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, in an electric lamp, ofthe vibratory spring-actuated bar or lever, the barbolding detenr, the carbon-feed rod, operating to disengage the detentfrom the bar at the time and in the manner substantially as specied, and the handle whereby said bar maybe moved against the stress of its spring so as to re-engage the detent.

In testimony whereof'I have signed my name in the presence of' two subscribing` Witnesses.

XVARREN S. HILL.

Witnesses:

E. F. HoDeEs, JoN. F. BARRETT. 

